The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) is the information and communications technology sector (ICT) regulator in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SA).

Amongst its roles and responsibilities include:

• Granting licenses in the ICT sector

• Protection of users’ rights

• Setting service quality standards

• Preparation of policies, regulatory frameworks and studies of ICT sector in SA

• domain name administration in SA

• Increasing the information security awareness level in SA

• Supervision of the National Committee for Information Society in SA

The name “Persian Gulf” represents a geographic name that is still under dispute and therefore is not only sensitive but also potentially problematic.

To simplify the dispute, it is in relation to the name of the body of water separating the Iranian plateau from the Arabian Plateau. The many surrounding Arab states maintain that this water is called the “Arabian Gulf” whereas the Persian commentators state that it is the “Persian Gulf”.

Naturally, this naming issue has caused controversy in recent years; each side maintaining that the appropriate name should be the “Arabian Gulf” or “Persian Gulf” as the case maybe.

We disagree that ICANN should bring this dispute into the cyber world and by doing so give credence to one side over the other. We do not believe that it is ICANN’s role to adjudicate over such matters.

The naming issue has stirred controversy in recent years between the two sides, who each say that their respective name is the only one that should be used. You will note and be aware that this dispute has embroiled governments, National Geographic Society and even Google earlier this year.

To approve the application of such a “string” could cause distress and division in the relevant communities/ countries, and we believe that no applicant should be considered to have the authority to register such domain name.